The Middy Thread

Ok, I just finished watching Baby on Board and I REALLY love Lara Flynn Boyle's hair in it, especially in that final boardroom scene and it's kind of big and messy. I'm sure you could do this with a middy. Any tips on achieving this?

Penny Dreadful said:

Ok, I just finished watching Baby on Board and I REALLY love Lara Flynn Boyle's hair in it, especially in that final boardroom scene and it's kind of big and messy. I'm sure you could do this with a middy. Any tips on achieving this?

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I think you could easily get that hair with a longish middy cut set on big hot rollers, don't brush it after setting, just finger comb and part it on the side, lean over and shake it, add some hairspray.

Et tu, Brute?

Hi all;

Long time no see! I've been gone from here for about a year, but I have been keeping up with this thread and a few others, and I'm so pleased that my tutorial is still working!

I have made two major modifications to the tutorial (I'm still cutting my own hair ) which have made it work more effectively. First, I have found that I can get better layers by using 4 pigtails in place of two, which can be done by splitting a regular pigtail in half, horizontally (rattail combs work well for this). Second, if the bangs are held straight up from the head (vertically), and then cut, the layering is again better.

C-dot said:

Hi all;

Long time no see! I've been gone from here for about a year, but I have been keeping up with this thread and a few others, and I'm so pleased that my tutorial is still working!

I have made two major modifications to the tutorial (I'm still cutting my own hair ) which have made it work more effectively. First, I have found that I can get better layers by using 4 pigtails in place of two, which can be done by splitting a regular pigtail in half, horizontally (rattail combs work well for this). Second, if the bangs are held straight up from the head (vertically), and then cut, the layering is again better.

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Do you have updated photos? I remember finding yours some time ago and no pictures. Someone had posted an archive of it, but I suspect that won't last forever either. I have trimmed my hair using your tutorial and it was very helpful.

Middy Tutorial 2.0

Let's get crackin'!

This cut I'm about to demonstrate is easy enough for a beginner to do, and is very difficult to mess up. It is not a Middy in the strictest definition - It is essentially a basic layered cut - and can be done with any length.

Today, people wear their hair in cuts, whereas vintage hair is all about the style. This cut, although it can be worn unstyled (no, it doesn't look like a mullet) is designed to lend itself to a style, so if you're like me and set your hair most/all the time, this cut is perfect for you.

You will need:

-Rattail comb
-Hair shears (thinning shears are useful too)
-Hair ties and clips
-A handheld mirror

Step one: Part hair into sections.

Using your rattail comb, part out the top section of your hair from the forehead to the crown, using the arches of your eyebrows as a guide.



The side sections are parted from the crown to the back of the ear.



The back hair is sectioned into quarters (in the original tutorial, I used halves.) Part the hair straight down the centre and halve each section horizontally with your rattail comb. Use the halfway point of your side section as a guide.


(These sections do not need to be perfect.)

Secure all sections with hair ties.

Step two: Make your cuts.

For the side hair, imagine a line extending from your chin to your collarbone. This is roughly the angle you want (you will even it out after.) Take the hair out of the hair tie and comb it flat. Clamp the end between your fingers. Position your scissors and cut.



The top hair is done in two parts. For the first part, remove the clip or hair tie, comb the hair upwards so it is pulled vertically from your scalp, and cut straight across.



To make sure it is even, comb it down flat in front of your face, and again, cut straight across.



The length of your top hair is according to preference. If you like wearing it in rolls or faux bangs (a la Fleur de Guerre) it should be at your lips when combed down flat. If you usually wear it curled like Betty Grable, it shouldn't be longer than the tip of your nose.

For the back sections, do the bottoms first. You're going to want the same angle you used on your side hair, but remember it doesn't need to be perfect, so just eyeball it. Take out the section from the hair tie, comb the section flat, clamp your fingers as shown, and cut.



For the top sections, do the same thing. They will normally be a bit longer than your bottom sections.

The last cut is a little tricky. Take out all your sections (excluding the top hair) and comb down flat. You may notice a slight difference in length where your back sections meet the sides. Carefully clamp the offending section with your fingers in the angle it should be, and cut.



The layers will look like this:



You're done!

Remember!

-Always make your cuts on the underside of your hand, closest to the ends of your hair.
-After you finish cutting a section, secure it again with the hair tie to avoid mixing it with another section.
-That said, if you are super freaked out about your tension, leave the sections tied up when you cut, just as long as they are combed in real good!
-Don't get scissor happy. If you think you've cut too much, stop immediately. No good will come from more cuts (trust me on this one!)
-If you do make a mistake, don't panic. Hair does grow back, and in the meantime, once your hair is set no-one will notice.

I welcome your feedback Any questions can be sent to me via e-mail.

To illustrate an example of the styled result, here is a set in 1-1/4" rollers:

Thank you for such a great tutorial. The how-to and after photos are terrific!

Thanks! If it works, and it saves $$, I'm happy!

Nice tutorial again C-dot, and welcome back!

I agree, thanks for the new tutorial, C-dot -- and welcome back!

Thank you very much ladies!

C-dot, thank goodness for your tutorial! It was actually what lead me to join the FL in the first place. ANYHOO-- Those extra 2 pony tails in the back works like a charm to get the right amount of layering in. Welcome back!

Wrecking_Belle said:

C-dot, thank goodness for your tutorial! It was actually what lead me to join the FL in the first place. ANYHOO-- Those extra 2 pony tails in the back works like a charm to get the right amount of layering in. Welcome back!

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That gives me a fuzzy feeling inside Thank-you sweetheart! I just complimented your hair in another thread, so I'm happy to know you use it!

C-dot welcome back!!! nice tutorial

I tried to read the entire thread to see if there would be a pertinent response to my question, and it's just too huge a thread! So, What variation of the middy should I do if I have thick, board straight hair that I want to be able to still pull back. I still want some length (like a bit past shoulder length). Also, I want to do those awesome rolls and up-do's and some of the middy cuts look to short for that. Sorry if this has already been answered before. Oh, and I'm new! This is a great resource! I feel so happy to know that there are vintage girls out there!

Vintage Rose said:

So, What variation of the middy should I do if I have thick, board straight hair that I want to be able to still pull back. I still want some length (like a bit past shoulder length). Also, I want to do those awesome rolls and up-do's and some of the middy cuts look to short for that. Sorry if this has already been answered before.

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I also have thick, straight hair, and I keep my Middy past my shoulders, so I can put in sky high rolls if I want. The way the tutorial is done, it is not a Middy as such; It's just the basic cut, which can be adapted to any length.

Welcome to the Lounge!

Thanks so much! I'm really scared that I will butcher my hair, but I am broke and also can't find anything for vintage hair salons in my area (I'm in the Minneapolis metro area of the US, so if anyone knows of a cheap, good place...) and so I might give it a go. Quick question. You said in the tutorial if anyone was freaked out about tension they could leave the hair in bands while they cut. What is tension?

Vintage Rose said:

Quick question. You said in the tutorial if anyone was freaked out about tension they could leave the hair in bands while they cut. What is tension?

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Without going too deeply into hairdressing techniques, tension is essentially the adjustment of your scissors, and how you hold them. Loose tension will cause the hair to bend while cutting - Tight tension will pinch the hair. If the hair is secure when making your cuts, you are less likely to make a bad cut if your tension goes awry. Hope that makes sense...

Don't be afraid that you will butcher your hair. Everyone who has tried this, myself included, is nervous the first few times. The key is to take your time, and err on the side of less cuts. If it helps, I've never heard of a disaster or failure yet

Thanks so much! I posted a new thread on needing curler advice, and if I can get that taken care of (no point in cutting it if I can't set it!!) I think I am going to cut it this weekend. Thanks for all of the help and the tutorial. Doing it myself definitely fits better in our budget.